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LABOULAYE’S FAIRY BOOK
before. It seemed as if both country and season had
changed. The road lay through meadows lately mown
for the second time, or beautiful vineyards full of grapes,
and was lined with great fig-trees laden with fruit, in which
thousands of insects were humming; golden clouds were
floating in the horizon, the air was soft and gentle, and
everything tempted to repose.
In the most beautiful of the meadows, by the side of a
brook which diffused its coolness afar, Graceful saw a herd
of buffaloes chewing the cud under the shade of the ashes
and plane-trees. They were lazily stretched on the ground,
in a circle around a large bull that seemed their chief and
king. Graceful approached them, and was received with
politeness. They invited him by a nod to be seated, and
pointed out to him great bowls full of milk and cheese.
Our traveler admired the calmness and gravity of these
peaceful and powerful animals, which seemed like so many
Roman senators in their curule chairs. The gold ring
which they wore in their noses added still more to the
majesty of their aspect. Graceful, who felt calmer and
more sedate than the day before, thought, in spite of him¬
self, how pleasant it would be to live in the midst of this
peace and plenty; if happiness were anywhere, it must
surely be found here.
Fido shared his master’s opinion. It was the season of
the southward migration of the quails; the ground was cov¬
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